RSL Shader Writing – From observation to implementation

The document below , is an introduction to the process of writing photoreal shaders ( in the Renderman Shading Language). It focusses on explaining a method by which we can breakdown the complexity of a surface (texture) by observing its component elements and elaborating each one of them as a layer, then finally we compose together all layers (each single element) to render the final complex surface (texture).

This document was written as part of my research work while learning the RSL for my MA Digital Effects degree at the NCCA, Bournemouth University, UK.